Chestnuts
by Asurahaya020
Summary: ExT Scratch that. He liked fully buttoned polos, cakes and Tomoyo. Nakuru grinned. A late Christmas oneshot.


Disclaimer: I'm peddling for rights, here... CLAMP may want to, y'know, lighten up and give Eriol and Tomoyo to me? 

Summary: Scratch that. He liked fully buttoned polos, cakes and Tomoyo. Nakuru grinned.

Author's Notes: Since I didn't get to make it in time -- sorry for the INO readers out there-- I wrote this Christmas-y themed oneshot that would hopefully lessen, at least a little bit, the disappointment of not getting anything too nice this season. The title is inspired by the song 'Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire". It's not as related as INO is to its own song and it's barely mentioned... but heck! This is a little late, too... but I hope you enjoy it! Happy holidays, minna-san! As is the fashion of any written output here, reviews are very much appreciated!

* * *

CHESTNUTS

Eriol buttoned his cuff links and straightened his front while observing his reflection in the floor-length mirror. He was invited to dine with the Kinomotos tonight and he thought it only proper to present himself well.

He was just about to sweep one stray strand of hair when three quick, strong raps assaulted his doorway. Again.

"Master..." called Nakuru from outside, "could you please come out? I have to make sure you're dressed appropriately."

At this, an eyebrow of Eriol's shot up in irritation. Appropriately? Does a perfectly ironed, long-sleeved polo and wrinkle-free black slacks not spell appropriate?

Eriol could've ignored Nakuru if not for the fact that she was practically hanging out in front of his room for almost two hours now.

_'Two hours... well, I did take my time in fixing my hair... oops, another strand...'_ he thought, almost passively. Eriol corrected it once more, looked at himself in the mirror for the last time then proceeded to opening the door.

Nakuru wailed in a sing-song tune as the wooden door creaked and a gap was seen. "FINALLY!!!"

Before the magician-reincarnate could change his mind, Nakuru had already launched herself on him. She smiled widely, grateful her master still had the heart to open up for her. She quickly released Eriol from her glomp/death grip then began silently appraising his attire.

For a moment there, Eriol thought he was going to die. The sudden, strong force around his arms surprised him and his nerves were screaming bloody murder. And now...

The girl was looking him up... then down and back up again. Her eyes were very fixated on his collar button which he had done, too. She sighed a heavy sigh, making him raise his eyebrow again.

"Well?" Eriol, began, hoping Nakuru wouldn't take too long in modifying how he looked. It took him a long time to actually picture how he should look and even more time to actually realize that in front of his mirror. He was going to be late and he knew it.

"..." Nakuru shook her head, breathed in then looked at Eriol straight in the eye. "

Master! You'll kill yourself! Are you planning on choking yourself from the beginning?"

As Nakuru undid three buttons... "This is no good!" she shrieked, ...four buttons, Eriol mentally shook his head in resignation. _'I hope her hands do not include my hair in the list...'_

Ah... in vain, Eriol, in vain.

o0o...o0o...chestnuts...o0o...o0o

Tomoyo was out on the terrace, sitting on one of the wrought-iron chairs and looking up to the sky, counting the many stars.

She loved the wintry air for blowing away the usual clouds covering the night sky. It was a gift she received every year and Tomoyo was very grateful.

_'Perhaps, it too, passed by China and in so doing, brought back my Sakura for the holidays...'_ The silhouette of a short-haired woman appeared on the glass inlay of the front door of the Kinomotos. Another silhouette, that of a man's soon followed, and the two held hands and leaned towards each other's warmth. _'Of course, with Syaoran-kun.'_

In the period of time when the couple married and settled in Hong Kong, to their first wedding anniversary, Tomoyo pained and longed after her cousin. But time heals, and Tomoyo, loving her cousin more than her life, understood she wasn't truly giving Sakura the privacy and the kind of loose affection she deserved. Hers was choking and she had to learn to let go. She started by distancing herself. Her mother was kind enough to provide an opening in the company.

Tomoyo's musings were cut short by the sound of a car engine reving up a bit, then dying...and after that, someone approaching. She stood up, picking on the hem of her blouse in anticipation. Perhaps, her mother cleared her schedule?

"I thought you weren't-" she began, seeing a figure line the gate. She stopped immediately when she noticed it wasn't her mother but a very different person.

"Hiirigazawa Eriol-kun..."

Eriol smiled, recognizing the small voice immediately. "Hm? Were you expecting someone else, Daidouji-san?"

o0o...o0o...chestnuts...o0o...o0o

Fujitaka was ecstatic that almost everyone made it to dinner. Sonomi had called him earlier; that she would definitely go, may it be by hook or by crook and he knew she meant to keep that promise, if only for Nadeshiko.

In his usual get-up of pink apron, pants and polo, he served his guests who were rather packed comfortably in the ornately decorated living room. The Christmas tree mirrored the smiles in their faces- his daughter Sakura, his son-in-law Syaoran-kun, his son Touya, his son's bestfriend (and lover- of course, as a good father, he knew) Tsukishiro-kun, his other half Hiirigazawa-kun and surprisingly, even Tomoyo-chan. He glanced to his side and noticed Nadeshiko had finally graced their little celebration with her presence and her smiles.

There was absolutely nothing else he could ask as a father and as a husband. More so, to Tomoyo-chan who he had come to liken as an adoptive daughter. She had always been preoccupied with business, he was worried she would decline his invitation.

But of course, Tomoyo-chan, being the kind, warm-hearted girl she is, accepted gratefully. And here she was, smiling the sincerest smile he had seen since his daughter's leave to Hong Kong.

"Tomoyo-chan? Would you like some cake?" he asked, approaching her.

The girl beamed and nodded. "Thank you, uncle. I would love that... you bake the tastiest ones I know."

Fujitaka chuckled, touched by her compliment. "And you, Eriol-kun?"

Eriol looked up from the cards he had been dealing out while he and Tomoyo played. He smiled knowingly at Fujitaka and nodded as well. "Sure. I would love that as well, Fujitaka-san."

While the both of them watched the man's figure disappear inside the kitchen, Tomoyo and Eriol exchanged small talk.

"Uncle looks happy..."

"Hn. It happens, I guess..."

"What does?"

Eriol smiled at the girl beside him. "Opportune moments... Something good comes your way and you intercept it."

Tomoyo couldn't speak for a time, her eyes distracted by Eriol's own. Finally, she sighed and spoke. "Maa, ne?"

o0o...o0o...chestnuts...o0o...o0o

Syaoran and Kinomoto-san were having a father-to-son talk and only Sakura was left to bid the other guests goodbye. Touya and Yukito had come earlier than the others and had left relatively earlier than the rest of them, too. Sakura pouted as she heard her brother claim his business as an excuse. "I guess he really wants to be able to live quite well-off now that they're sharing a flat in Tokyo. Ne, Tomoyo-chan?"

The raven-haired girl smiled as she kissed her cousin's cheeks in a gesture of farewell. "I do believe so, Sakura-chan. After all, Tsukishiro-kun's into writing and he needs all the free time he can have. Merry Christmas and greet my mother for me, okay? I'm sure she'll arrive real late. She's still with the kids as of this moment, I'm sure."

"Hoe? So you really save some of the products to give this season, huh? That's so nice. Maybe I could start something like that at home, as well..." Sakura said, happiness evident as she recalled her new home.

"How do you like it in Hong Kong?"

"The air's not too nice, so we might move to Shanghai but... where Syaoran is, I'll be sure to be with him!"

_'Still as genki as ever, Sakura.'_

"That's nice. Well, then. It's really late and I still have to walk home."

The short-haired woman looked alarmed. "Eh?! Walk?! Tomoyo-chan, iie! Ah! Eriol-kun, Eriol-kun!" she called to the leaving figure just behind Tomoyo.

"Hm? What is it, Sakura-chan?"

"Ano... could you please drive Tomoyo-chan home?"

It was Tomoyo's turn to look alarmed. Sure, she kept correspondence with him while he was in England. She was one of the first, even, to learn of Mizuki-sensei's untimely death. But when he came back to Japan with Nakuru and Spinel, she didn't really do anything to build anything more than the level of close acquaintances between them. A drive home would be a most awkward situation for the both of them, especially in Tomoyo's part.

"Ah- ah! I do not want to impose on Hiirigazawa-kun! I... I-"

Eriol's smile silenced the Daidouji heiress. "I see no imposition created by this. In fact, I would consider it an honor to escort Daidouji-san home."

Sakura's troubled face immediately changed to a show of complete exhiliration and satisfaction. "See, Tomoyo-chan? Merry Christmas to you too, Eriol-kun."

The young man smiled. "Merry Christmas and good night, Sakura-chan. Please tell Fujitaka-san to bake me another cake. I liked it very much."

Sakura nodded and smiled brightly before bidding them farewell again and skipping inside the house, leaving Tomoyo and Eriol alone.

"Well, then, shall we get going, Daidouji-san?"

Tomoyo only nodded as she followed Eriol to his car.

o0o...o0o...chestnuts...o0o...o0o

While inside the Kinomoto residence, the both of them didn't notice the sudden change in the weather outside. Though not heavily, it did snow continuously and by the time that they were leaving the house, it was relatively difficult to manuever the vehicle and walking was practically out of the question.

Seeing that it would take some time to warm the engine and get the tires used to the thick blanket of snow, Eriol turned on his radio. Mellow strains of a baritone voice resonated in the car as it sang about chestnuts being roasted on open fire.

Tomoyo unconsciously began to hum together with the familiar song while Eriol beat an accompanying percussion on the steering wheel. By the last chorus, they were practically singing along, the air not so tense as before.

"So you still sing..."

It was more of an affirmative statement than an inquisitive one, so she opted to change the subject. Tomoyo glanced his way and smiled. "Ah... it's almost twelve."

Eriol glanced at the display and sighed. "Hn... Sou ka. Merry Christmas, Daidouji-san. Nakuru was practically groveling at my feet because you declined her offer for a Christmas breakfast."

Tomoyo laughed lightly. "I don't know... I thought I shouldn't come because I thought it might be as awkward as a few moments ago."

Eriol looked her way, too. "Really? Could I have changed your mind then?"

_'Maa, ne...'_ Tomoyo thought, all the while laughing her signature 'ohohoho...'

"Truth be told, I haven't thought of a present for you. Hiirigazawa-kun, you're the only box without a check in my list... I guess I never could really imagine what you would like.

Something that your power couldn't give... I guess I still see you as you were back then, helping Sakura to change the Clow cards. I still see you as a powerful, almost intimidating person with everything you could possibly want within your grasp."

Tomoyo closed her eyes as she thought some more in silence, adding questions to that long statement. She never meant to divulge her genuine interest for the man, and she hoped she didn't commit the mistake as she poured her sentiments.

_'But what could be possibly wrong with genuine interest? When you want to make friends, shouldn't you be interested in that person?'_

A disturbing, recurring thought. It bugged her from the beginning, and it bugged her now.

_'What if- just what if-'_

"Daidouji-san?"

"Hm?" Tomoyo's eyes fluttered open as she turned to look at Eriol squarely at the face.

_'This interest goes beyond the boundaries of acquaintances? of friendships?'_

"I would like it if you called me by my given name." Eriol said, his voice slightly quavering. His glances were generous of anxieties. Perhaps he was nervous?

_'What if this interest is common and is shared?'_

Her eyes widened a fraction before her face cracked a smile. "Only if you call me by my own."

The anxieties lowered a notch. The small storm in Eriol's azure orbs calmed and he smiled at Tomoyo as well. "Tomoyo-san." he tried it out and it felt a little weird with honorific. Excluding it, he tried once more. "Tomoyo."

Hearing her name without any formalities did it. Tomoyo doubled on her seat, making Eriol swerve almost carelessly and so he opted to park the car while the girl suppressed her laughter to giggles.

"What is so funny?" Eriol demanded, his grin becoming a smirk as he watched Tomoyo grip at her sides.

"I don't know. You... you! Eriol-kun, all formalities and gentlemanliness, you who probably didn't go to the dinner without being apprehended by Nakuru-chan of your uptight fashion sense."

Eriol cringed a bit as he recalled the happenings of late afternoon.

"Maybe I like it. You saying my name without honorifics, you letting go of your almost choking politeness. You're more human that way, Eriol-kun."

He gave it some thought, leaning forward on the steering wheel as he grinned a little at what had been said about him by none other than the Daidouji heiress.

"You try it." he finally said, his eyes once again keeping contact with her own.

"What?"

"Say my name without the -kun and stuff. That could be what you could give me."

Tomoyo raised an eyebrow incredulously. "And I'll be led to believe that you'll be satisfied with just that? Oh no... Oh no, no, no, Eriol-kun."

His grin was replaced by a thin line of determination. "I would really like that, Tomoyo."

Her name never sounded so menacing. She was sure she was running cold sweat and the seriousness made her gulp. "Oh... okay. I-I'll try."

A minute of silence passed and Tomoyo still couldn't find the strength to speak or to simply move her tongue. Eriol's eyes were still on her and she found that darting her own gaze only intensified the glare she received.

The young man left the steering wheel and instead leaned towards her direction. "E..." she began slowly, inching her face away from Eriol's whose face was getting closer, closer... too close.

"Have you forgotten? Shall I spell it for you?" Eriol said teasingly, his mouth curved instinctively to a smirk.

"No! I... I, uh..." Tomoyo rambled on, her nerves shot and her heartbeat quickening. Only a few inches and she could move away from him no more.

_'Genuine interest is a liking to something... or someone. And I like...'_

Eriol's face was only a few inches from her own and through the streetlight above, Tomoyo knew her red face was being illuminated.

She breathed in, eager to get the whole thing over with and to get home.

"E..."

o0o...o0o...chestnuts...o0o...o0o

Tomoyo never really got to go home that Christmas morning. She had slept over at Eriol's and she knew she had to call her mother to keep her from worrying sick.

She went down the staircase and snuck into the living room first before the first ray of sunlight. Warm fingers danced in memorised steps and, as expected, before the end of the first ring, the other line had picked up.

"T-Tomoyo? Is that you?"

**Yes.**

"Where are you, baby? I thought that Hiirigazawa guy drove you home from Fujitaka?"

**I'm at Eriol's.**

"Wh-What are you doing there?! And so early in the morning, too!"

Tomoyo sighed. "Nothing happened, mother. He just gave me his present and I requested to sleep over since I'd have breakfast with Nakuru-chan, anyways. Would you like to come? I'm sure she'd be able to accommodate another..."

"I'd love to baby. Are you sure you don't want to go home first? I'm just glad nothing's happened."

Tomoyo knew that was not the end of her mother's speech and so she waited. Soon enough Sonomi's voice was heard again.

"A-are you quite sure?"

"Mom!"

o0o...o0o...chestnuts...o0o...o0o

Tomoyo was relieved to have the phone call done and over with. She fingered the hem of the t-shirt she had borrowed from Eriol. Nothing did happen. She wasn't too sure if she should be relieved or disappointed.

Tomoyo, knew, however, that what happened late last night, however much important it was for her and Eriol, was etched into her person if only passively.

She recalled it happened too quickly, beginning with her second try to call his name.

"E...Er..."

The few inches were dissolved to nothing and the space between disappeared as if it never had been there. It was a quick, little kiss but the shiver that ran down her spine, to her fingertips and to her toes was real and it felt wonderful.

Her throat felt wonderful and his name spilled smoothly from her lips still slightly parted from their kiss. "Eriol..."

Her voice was very small but Eriol heard nonetheless. His hand searched for hers and enveloped it in its warmth. Her hand felt small and smooth and comfortably warm like his. He smiled, closed his eyes and he met Tomoyo's forehead with his. Tomoyo's minty breaths cooled his feverish lips and they stayed that way for what felt like an eternity.

"Eriol?"

_'What now?... _

_What of us?... _

_What of Kaho?'_ Tomoyo felt ecstatic that Eriol felt the same genuine interest for her but new questions arose as they went from acquaintances to something that they should settle for themselves.

When silence greeted her, Tomoyo tried calling his name again. "E..."

"I would like for Christmas... iie, I would like for all eternity this stuttering woman I behold in front of me.

I would like to see Tomoyo every morning in something of my own, eat something I have prepared, hear something I've especially written. I have passed the chance before... but as a figment of Clow Reed and not as I am now. Simply Eriol."

He grinned as he leaned closer. Tomoyo permitted him, smiling as well, but urged him to say more.

"The level of interest I felt for you bothered me. That I should be so easily comforted by your words as I lamented Kaho's death left me in profound wonder.

I had to know... I spent the times I've invited you for tea, for talk to truly be in touch with myself. With this new feeling, rather, this feeling that's been there all this time.

And when you said my name... -"

Tomoyo shushed him as she kissed him again. A little longer, a bit more needy and passionate than their first but they broke off, anyways.

They both knew he had to shut up. They both knew they had suffered a similar dilemma and they knew it was now that they truly shared sentiments.

When Eriol started the car again, it was an unspoken agreement that he had Tomoyo for himself for the rest of Christmas Eve. Her mother simply had to make up for that later.

o0o...o0o...omake...o0o...o0o

Nakuru was said to rival the brightest of the Christmas lights in all of Tomoeda whenever she was near her most prized possession.

It was a slum book- given to her by her dearest master Eriol to make her act as a high school student more convincing.

It was filled with various accounts of people she liked very much. Sakura-chan, Suppi, that Li boy (of course she updates it, right now it reads bratty husband of Sakura-chan who beats women when it comes to PMSs), Touya, Tomoyo-chan and of course, dear Master Eriol.

Browsing through it, Nakuru realized a most painful discovery. His was the only profile with the most blanks... and to think they lived under one roof! How can someone live together and yet know only a little of the other? And so, Nakuru set off to work.

With some help from Suppi-chan (who really attacked her with suspicious glares), she had saved enough for an audio bug small enough to be unnoticed.

For the past few weeks, she had absolutely no tangible reason to be too close Eriol's belongings and Nakuru was sure none of the usual things her master uses would be good places to do some data collection.

It was when Tomoyo-chan visited them for afternoon tea and had informed them of Kinomoto-san's invitation for the dinner, did Nakuru truly feel blest.

"Master..." she had pleaded and had done pilgrimage before his door just to insist that she simply had to fix his fashion sense.

She was happy she did so, for he really looked like someone planning to go all-out formal with a tux and everything but was more ecstatic about placing a bug on the lapel of his polo and hearing over every single occurrence during the dinner. Nakuru was truly happy.

She excitedly copied his answers to another sheet in the slum book and listened in carefully for hints of what he might like for Christmas.

Well, she already had one item. Then came Kinomoto-san and his cake... that was another.

Being the fangirl that she was, Nakuru squealed in delight as Sakura-chan made it so that Eriol was to drive Tomoyo home. She found it interesting, and boy! was she right!

If one was to find her slum book and had flipped through the pages, went to the last filled in sheet, the likes of a certain Eriol Hiirigazawa would be something like this...

Master Eriol likes fully buttoned polos, cakes baked by Kinomoto-san and Ms. Tomoyo in his shirt, over for breakfast.

Nakuru grinned. Truly, her face was brighter than all the Christmas lights put together and her cheeks redder than Rudolph's nose. Another wicked plan was formulating and it pretty much summed up as...

Should she bug Suppi-chan, too?

o0o...o0o...owari...o0o...o0o

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Author's Notes: Okay... so this was... I don't know... dripping, sappy and overly sweet. Perhaps that was why I tried to keep Suppi-chan out of it? Hehehe... just some random oneshot born of the Christmas season and the many engagements people have during the holiday season. I know, I know, it's for really light reading. Something to do when you're sick bored. I was sick bored, too, when I wrote this. Hope it's not too disappointing. Reviews and, if you find it necessary, flames are accepted. For the flames, however, I would love it if you'd give a reason as to why you feel that way about me or my fic. Thanks and happy holidays! 


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